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The Election of Abraham Lincoln
The election of Abraham Lincoln sparked the beginning of the Civil War. It made southern states nervous as Lincoln promised to not let slavery expand westward which would give slave states an unbalanced disadvantage in laws. -
The Secession of South Carolina
South Carolina seceded even before Lincoln came into office. They announced themselves as a separate country (the confederate) and 12 other states followed suit. 5 slave "boarder states" stayed with the Union. -
Confederate Constitution Signed
This date marks the signing of the confederate constitution. -
Fort Sumter
During the battle of Fort Sumter the confederates wanted to drive union soldiers out of Fort Sumter so they started full force attacking it. There were no casualties and the union soldiers escaped by boat. -
Battle of Bull Run
Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson took command for the confederates during this battle. The north thought this would be a quick and easy war just as Britain thought the revolutionary war would be quick and easy. During this battle northerners followed the union soldiers to the battlefield in hopes of getting some entertainment. They were unpleasantly surprised. The south won. -
Robert E. Lee Takes Command
Lee was the commander for the south. Originally Lincoln wanted Lee to command the North but he refused. -
The Seven Days Battles
These seven battles took place over seven days. They were in effort of making it to Vermont and taking Washington D.C. -
Antietam
24,000 people died in this battle making it the bloodiest battle in American history. The Union won but didn't keep pushing. -
Emancipation Proclamation is Given
The emancipation proclamation was given as a compromise for the boarder states. It made it so while the war was going on slavery was illegal but after the war ended it could return. -
Chancellorsville
A battle fought near Chancellorsville. It is the battle where Jackson died. The south won. -
Stonewall Jackson Dies
Stonewall Jackson died when one of his own men shot him while he was riding a horse -
Battle of Gettysburg
The battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the war for the union. It was a three day battle but they kept pushing and then finally won. -
Pickett's Charge
In this battle, one of Lee's men, Pickett, led some men to attack the Union on a hill. The union was on top and the confederate was on bottom. Because of superior technology, the Union won from being on top of the hill. -
Gettysburg Address
This was a speech made my Lincoln. It gave the North motivation because it finally made the war about Slavery. -
Grant Takes Command
Grant was a failure in every aspect of life except war. His method for war was called War of Attrition. It meant to keep pushing. The north had more people, so if they kept pushing they'd eventually win. -
Fall of Richmond
Grant captured Petersburg and Richmond. The confederate evacuated and fled using their one railway. -
Sherman Burns Atlanta
Sherman was for total war or the idea that anything goes in war. He wanted to psychologically scare the south so he burned Atlanta to the ground. -
Sherman begins March to the Sea
Sherman marched to the sea through the south burning everything in his path. -
13th Amendment Passed
The 13th amendment made slavery illegal. -
Lee surrenders
Lee surrendered to the North marking the end of the civil war.
